Johnny Carter List of EastEnders characters (2013)

jonathan michael “johnny” carter, played sam strike 2013 2014 , ted reilly 2016 onwards, son of mick carter (danny dyer) , linda carter (kellie bright).

johnny makes first appearance on 26 december 2013, moving queen victoria mother , father. meets whitney dean (shona mcgarty), , parents tease him being attractive women. however, after danny pennant (gary lucy) compliments johnny on looks, johnny asks if meant it, leading them kissing, grandmother shirley carter (linda henry) sees. johnny lets parents assume kissed whitney, though shirley advises him against this. when johnny s sister nancy carter (maddy hill) arrives in walford, reveals johnny gay family during argument. eventually, johnny breaks down , comes out mick after denying sexuality previously. unaware, however, linda has overheard conversation. linda finds extremely difficult come terms johnny s sexuality, leads numerous arguments mick , shirley. johnny reveals sexuality whitney, hurt feels johnny has been using her. forgives johnny , offers him move in , family if relationship linda not improve. johnny later threatens leave vic, mick forces linda sort things out. linda seems have come round idea of johnny being gay, later breaks down on situation. johnny realises linda not accepting of sexuality when invites whitney (who thinks pregnant) on , tries set them up, johnny feels hurt , betrayed , huge argument ensues. mick tells linda accept sexuality or risk losing him forever. whitney tells johnny needs boyfriend can accept , move on lives. johnny manages secure job barman in sharon rickman s (letitia dean) new bar. when sharon attacked 2 masked intruders, johnny hides upstairs , later phones help. family assumes scared intruders away johnny forced admit hid upstairs , did nothing. johnny fails of exams , linda interferes going see tutor behind back. furious, johnny rows mother, calling stupid bitch , , decides leave walford, ashamed of said. johnny s great-grandfather stan carter (timothy west) takes linda , nancy see him @ stan s unoccupied flat. johnny , linda apologise , linda gives him blessing attend pride london, meets gianluca cavallo (gabriele lombardo). tells siblings has met someone, , lee encourages him invite gianluca linda s birthday party. johnny loses virginity gianluca, , after party, linda tells johnny approves of gianluca , welcome come back.

johnny shows brief interest in ben mitchell (harry reid) when comes out of prison. ben has told father homosexuality phase, confuses johnny flirting him @ times , rejecting him @ others. johnny realises ben desperate prove himself , criticises him dating abi branning (lorna fitzgerald), ben continues deny gay. ben later tries kiss johnny, rebukes him. johnny announces going go travelling gianluca. linda finds hard accept relents , johnny leaves blessing, after telling ben stop denying is.

johnny (now played ted reilly) returns amid family crisis in april 2016. avoids talking gianluca , realises linda hiding him. during heart-to-heart talk, admits , gianluca have split up, , linda tells him raped uncle dean wicks (matt di angelo). johnny cannot deal has happened family since left, , tells mick blames him all. apologises next day , persuades mick stop blaming nancy accident has left brother ollie carter possible brain damage. johnny decides not return italy , convinces university tutor let him take second year exam. tutor reluctantly accepts; johnny takes , passes exams.

when ben s boyfriend paul coker (jonny labey) murdered, johnny supports ben , encourages him tell police crime motivated homophobia. linda worries johnny developing feelings ben, insists merely being friend. in november ben, still grieving , feeling rejected father, gets drunk , tries kiss johnny, johnny refuses take advantage of vulnerable state.

with lee due marry johnny s close friend whitney, johnny discovers lee has got debt payday loan company. encourages brother come clean, lee forces himself go ahead wedding. carters later become victims of burglary. johnny attempts fend off robbers injured in process, after 1 of them attacks him baseball bat. later revealed lee responsible burglary , result johnny becomes hostile towards him.

after ben , jay brown (jamie borthwick) move own flat, johnny attends ben s housewarming party, ben s 21st birthday party. after abi , jay both try set them up, have one-night stand after getting drunk. next day, both worry other wants relationship relieved realise see each other friends.

johnny s off-screen life involves university studies, , in 2017 completes law degree , receives 2:1. after this, forms friendship older gay neighbour derek (ian lavender), after derek berates johnny standing idly during homophobic incident. johnny learns derek has criminal conviction due having 20 year old boyfriend when gay age of consent still 21. johnny encourages derek not leave square after past incarceration discovered. following gas explosion in square, johnny tries check on ted murray (christopher timothy) , wife joyce murray (maggie steed), ted accidentally shoots johnny after believing him burglar, although joyce later takes blame. ambulance linda , johnny travelling in hit truck , falls over, killing paramedic attending him. jack branning (scott maslen), following in car behind, manages ambulance , keep johnny alive via advice ambulance driver until hospital helicopter arrives. mick , linda visit johnny in hospital make full recovery.

casting

strike s casting johnny announced on 29 october 2013, on actor said: m excited joining eastenders , carter family. re strong characters , can t wait see eastenders has planned all. ve grown watching danny [dyer] , kellie [bright], both of whom lovely, playing son kind of surreal. johnny described 19-year-old mummy s boy . youngest of 3 siblings, university student , called gentle boy s happy let rest of family centre of attention , though said has secret place him right @ centre of family storm . fact johnny gay. on 14 november announced strike decided leave show , made final appearance on 25 december 2014 via skype call on christmas day.

in february 2016, announced role of johnny carter being recast , return later in year, casting process still ongoing @ point. later on, announced ted reilly taking on role. reilly s first episode broadcast on 11 april 2016.